General information for entering Hungary

Hungary joined the Schengen Area on 19 December 2007. From that time visas and residence permits issued by one of the Schengen Member States are valid also for Hungary, and visas/residence permits issued by Hungarian authorities are - as a general rule - also valid for the entire Schengen Area.

As of 19 December 2011, 26 states are part of the Schengen Area: 22 states of the 27 members of the European Union (Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden) as well as Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Lichtenstein. (For the time being 5 member states of the European Union, i.e. Bulgaria, Cyprus, Ireland, Romania and the United Kingdom do not issue Schengen visas.)

The Schengen regulations are only applicable for a stay not exceeding 90 days. Rules for a stay longer than 90 days are laid down by the national law of the member states concerned.

New Zealand passport holders

Short Term Stay (not exceeding the 90-day period)

New Zealand passport holders are exempt from any visa requirement when travelling to Hungary on condition that their visit does not exceed the 90-day period of visa-free stay (unless intending to apply for a residence permit exceeding 90 days upon arrival as per guidelines below).

the validity of the travel document shall last until at least three months after the intended date of departure from the territory of the Member States (although in a justified case of emergency, this obligation may be waived); and

the travel document shall have been issued within the previous 10 years.

Long Stay (period exceeding 90 days)

New Zealand passport holders intending to stay in Hungary for a period exceeding 90 days enter Hungary without a visa on the visa waiver agreement and apply for the long stay residence permit from within Hungary at a regional directorate of the Office for Immigration and Nationality in Hungary [Link is in Hungarian. Select required language at site].